The fire spread quickly after initially being reported at roughly 1,500 acres.

Residents in the area of Last Chance and Woodrow were ordered to evacuate as the flames spread. The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at Akron High School. All evacuations have since been lifted.

At least four of the structures that were leveled were homes, according to Angel Earl, who was acting as spokeswoman for the northeast Colorado agencies dealing with the fire. Two homes were in Last Chance and two were just north of the community. Officials said more structures could be added to the total as further assessment is done.

One fire truck was also consumed by the blaze.

The blaze was thought to have been ignited by a passing vehicle on Colorado 71 that got a flat tire and, in turn, threw off sparks after the blowout near County Road 7.

You know it’s cold when Mickey won’t ice skate with kids, or when Russian ballerinas have bus trouble. Even some criminals took the day off when Denver’s temperature plunged to minus-10 early Thursday.